This is the room the Blind Pig Gang warmed up in before our performance last Friday night. We actually played in the courtroom of the Historical Union County Courthouse. As the guitars were being tuned one last time-Guitar Man pointed out the room we were in could have been were the jury deliberated back in the day. We wondered how many lives had been changed or even ended with those four walls. I found myself thinking of those life changing decisions once more-when half way through our set Paul noticed we not only had a full courtroom and balcony of people for an auidence-we also had the jury sitting off to the side.
Tipper
Appalachia Through My Eyes – A series of photographs from my life in Southern Appalachia.
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You can feel the history in rooms like this!
What a neat place to perform!
As usual, almost a day late, not to mention a few hundred dollars short.
Thanks for the link to the Union County courthouse. That is exactly the sort of thing we need to emulate here in Swain County.
I hated missing the BlindPig crew Friday, but am thankful that as a consolation I got to listen the lovely and incredibly loquacious Chatter and Chitter a-singing Glory Mountain in person (under the stern, yet tender direction of Miz Tipper ;-). Be sure to remember and post written words to the cemetery song when you post the video. Old timers like Donkey Dockery and yours truly are hard of hearing, you know.
Love those old courthouses — our county has a charming one.
Those old places hold a special magic to those of us who loved history growing up… Don’t you wish those walls could talk.
I know you all put on a bang up performance and had a great time… Any little video clips you want to share with us?
Helen
Jim-I play the bass-and I keep the rest of the bunch in line : )
Blind Pig The Acorn
Celebrating and Preserving the
Culture of Appalachia
http://www.blindpigandtheacorn.com
The best singing I’ve heard in a long time. Thanks.
I’m really sorry I missed ya’ll Friday night-I added up the hours in my day & there just weren’t enough! Glad you had a packed house; hope to see you another time.
Tipper,
Sounds like you all had a great time at the Friday night singing…Wish we could have been there…I hope someone made a video so we can see a snippet of it later or even all of it…ha
If you ever have a chance to sing in East Tennessee let us know and we will make arrangements to be there….
Love the courthouse full of historical memories…only by knowing the past can we charge on thru the future…
Tipper,
I know you’re not as open as Chitter and Chatter, they seem to
talk all the time, but Jim’s right
cause I could see you after each
song directing everyone for the
next one. Not only that, I bet ole
“Mr. Cash” was mighty pleased at
what he was hearing, not missin’ a
beat. Great job folks…Ken
Tipper, I went out on the front porch last Friday night, hoping to hear y’all. Couldn’t, but I was with you in spirit.
A couple who were there really enjoyed you all.
Sounds like an interesting place. Makes me think of the old move 12 Angry Men.
Tipper–Interesting insights, and I know it was pleasing to have a packed court house. Oddly enough, attending court when it was in session was a favored summertime entertainment when I was a boy growing up in Bryson City. Several of us were, at one juncture, summarily ordered from the courthouse (with a stern lecture) by a judge who was offended by our dress (shorts, tennis shoes, and t-shirts). Never mind that there were some old clodhoppers in attendance wearing brogans without socks, shirts which were complete strangers to soap and water, and with tobacco stain dripping down unshorn whiskers to those self-same shirts.
On a different them, curiosity leads this old codger to ask? Do you pick, sing, or otherwise actively participate in Blind Pig Gang performances? Obviously you are the head honcho when it comes to public relations. If not you ought to give real consideration, and I’m serious, to cultivating your verbal storytelling abilities and interspersing the pickin’, grinnin’, and dancin’ with an occasional tale sharing your love of Appalachian ways. Or, as Grandpa Joe would have said, don’t hide your bright, shining light under a bushel.
Jim Casada
http://www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com
i love historical buildings and this looks like a special one. so great to get to play there, hope the jury found you Not guilty. ha ha
when your blog opens and the church bell rings, i flip back to sloans valley KY. we lived next door to the church and the joy of life was to ring that bell. it sounded out over the valley like angel music telling everyone it was time for church. it was rung 30 minutes before each service.